One by one they rode down the airport escalator Wednesday afternoon, all shapes and sizes, young men - one group coming from the east, one from the west - making their way into El Paso for perhaps this city's most prized event, the 79th annual Hyundai Sun Bowl.

USC was first in town, making its way from Los Angeles to El Paso International Airport on this day after Christmas at a little after noon. Next came Georgia Tech, coming from Atlanta and arriving here at a little after 2 p.m.

The traditional mariachis and folklorico dancers and fans greeted each team.

Each of the head coaches donned a sombrero - USC's Lane Kiffin pulling on a cardinal-and-gold one, Georgia Tech's Paul Johnson slipping on a black-and-gold hat. The atmosphere was the same as it was a year ago ... and the year before that ... and several years ago. It was festive, with music and dancing in this unique Sun City greeting.

It is all a prelude to high noon on New Year's Eve, when these two teams will bang heads in this annual bowl game down on the field turf at Sun Bowl Stadium.

"We're all very excited," said Kiffin, whose Trojans have been absent from the bowl scene the past two years because of probation. "You can tell by the energy.

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We're all looking forward to a great week. We've heard about the hospitality here. In fact, we've talked to some people about it. We talked to Notre Dame and they spoke so highly of it."

As for the sombrero, Kiffin laughed and said, "First time I've done that."

Johnson, whose Georgia Tech team dropped a heartbreaking overtime decision to Utah in last year's 78th version of the Sun Bowl, was lauded for the way he wore his headpiece: "Experience," he said with a smile.

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Vanessa Monsisvais / El Paso Times

"This is a special bowl game, and what makes it special is just the people," Johnson said. "The way everybody is just so friendly and helpful. We're excited to be back. What makes this bowl special is the people - from the event committee all the way down to the fans."

Georgia Tech has been to a bowl game for 16 straight years.

Yellow Jacket senior quarterback Tevin Washington said, "Of all the bowls I've been to, this is one of the better ones. It's fun."

This game, the second oldest bowl game in the nation, will showcase USC, Georgia Tech and El Paso on national television via CBS. Wednesday afternoon, it was simply a local show ... a smattering of airport entertainment in a way of welcome.

The reaction is always the same for these young men - some huge, some average, some a bit small ... the makeup of physiques you see for every football team in the land. USC came in casual attire, Georgia Tech came in coats and ties. The haircuts were the same smattering of young college men - some long, some short, some braided, some buzzed, some completely shaved.

Once the mariachis began playing, the folklorico dancers began dancing and the Sun Queen and princesses started reaching for players to join in the dance, there was that same reaction - first a roar, then some young men quickly backpedaling, others stepping forward. Georgia Tech's big Francis Kallon , a 6-foot-5, 289-pound freshman defensive end, was one of those stepping forward.

He smiled and told some of his teammates to, "Come on, man, come on up here."

Georgia Tech received a fine welcome. USC probably had more fans at the airport.

"It was nice, coming down and seeing all the USC fans," Kiffin said. "It was like being at home."

USC's talented wide receiver Robert Woods said, "That was fun. Right off the plane and we get a mariachi band that brightened everyone's spirits. We're all very excited. This is my first bowl game and it's the first bowl game for a lot of our guys. We're excited about the week."

Every Sun Bowl official was there, including Executive Director Bernie Olivas; John Folmer, selection chairman for more than 40 years, and Jimmy Rogers Jr., a Sun Bowl staple for more than 50 years. And there was also Oscar Leeser, CEO of Hyundai El Paso, the sponsor of this event the last three years.

"It was a great reception for the teams," Leeser said. "The crowd for USC was a lot bigger than I expected. There's a lot of excitement and everyone seems very upbeat."

Hyundai has one more year remaining on its contract with the Sun Bowl, but Leeser said he hopes to expand that partnership.

"Absolutely, that's the goal," he said. "We'd like to get that done, sign on for another four years. We have loved every minute of it and everybody at the Sun Bowl - John, Jimmy, Bernie - are so easy to work with. We'd love another four years and I think it's important to keep the continuity."

These two football teams - all these young men of all shapes and sizes - will be in El Paso over the next five days. They will, of course, be practicing football, trying to squeeze one more win out of a long football season, perhaps hoping to build a little momentum toward next season. But they will also be visiting hospitals, visiting Fort Bliss and getting an up-close look at tanks and such, and simply sampling a bit of this city's flavor.

It is all part of the old bowl event - part of this city's pride.

Bill Knight may be reached at bknight@elpasotimes.com; 546-6171. Follow him on Twitter @BillKnightept

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